Patents by Inventor Robert William Dixon

Robert William Dixon has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 11966629
    Abstract: A distributed data storage system can be configured with a host connected to a first device and an initialization module that performs a default initialization procedure on the first device in response to detecting the first device has an unknown manufacturing origin. Conducting the default initialization procedure may allow the first device to service data access requests from the host. In response to the connection of a second device to the host and initialization module, a manufacturing origin of the second device is identified with the initialization module before the initialization module customizes the default initialization procedure to a custom procedure that is executed to allow the second device to satisfy a background operation prescribed by the initialization module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2024
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Hemant Vitthalrao Mane, Jason Matthew Feist, Praveen Viraraghavan, Robert W. Dixon, Marc Timothy Jones, Steven Williams
  • Patent number: 11954505
    Abstract: A data storage system may connect a host to a device and a hardware module that are utilized to satisfy at least one host-generated data access request to the device. A portion of the device is set as dormant by the hardware module prior to identifying an origin of the device with the hardware module during the satisfaction of the at least one host-generated data access request. In response to the identified origin, the previously dormant portion of the device is activated and subsequently utilized to execute a task assigned by the hardware module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Hemant Vitthalrao Mane, Jason Matthew Feist, Praveen Viraraghavan, Robert W. Dixon, Marc Timothy Jones, Steven Williams
  • Publication number: 20230244613
    Abstract: The technology disclosed herein pertains to a system and method for scaling storage using peer-to-peer NVMe communication, the method including selecting one of a plurality of NVMe devices as principal device to control communication with a host via a PCI switch, designating remainder of the plurality of NVMe devices as subordinate devices, and controlling the communication between the host and the subordinate devices using a PCI P2P DMA between the principal device and the subordinate devices.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2022
    Publication date: August 3, 2023
    Inventors: Marc Timothy JONES, Jason Wayne KINSEY, Benjamin James SCOTT, Robert William DIXON
  • Publication number: 20220283721
    Abstract: The technology disclosed herein provides a system including multiple selectable storage devices in an enclosure communicatively coupled to shared control electronics the shared control electronics including a first controller for selecting a storage device of the multiple selectable storage devices for execution of a device access command, the multiple scalable storage devices including a plurality of NVM storage devices and at least one hard disc drive (HDD) and a first signal path for transmitting a drive selection instruction from a host external to the enclosure to a first controller the first signal path being a PCIe electronic interface configured to communicate with a host, wherein the plurality of NVM storage devices shares a capacitor bank for power loss protection.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Inventor: Robert William DIXON
  • Patent number: 10528116
    Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for implementing fast resume from hibernate are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus can include a data storage device having a circuit configured to determine a first memory location of hibernation data without receiving an indication of the first memory location from the host, and store the hibernation data to a second memory location of the DSD.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2020
    Assignee: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Robert Dale Murphy, Robert William Dixon
  • Patent number: 9977732
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to systems and methods of nonvolatile data caching. In some embodiments, circuits or methods may be configured to store selected data to a nonvolatile data cache based on selection criteria. The selection criteria may be based on previous data access commands. The selection criteria may relate an amount of resources, such as time or power, needed to retrieve the selected data from a data storage medium. The selected data may be retrieved from the data storage medium and stored at the nonvolatile data cache during an idle state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2018
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Stanton MacDonough Keeler, Steven Scott Williams, Robert William Dixon
  • Patent number: 9207947
    Abstract: The disclosure is related systems and method for improved boot and resume from hibernate times in hybrid drives. In one embodiment, a device may comprise an interface circuit to communicate with a host device, a first nonvolatile data storage medium, and a controller configured to monitor the interface circuit for a trigger event and pin data associated with read requests to the first nonvolatile data storage medium during a first specific duration in response to the trigger event. Another embodiment may be a method comprising receiving a trigger event, monitoring a duration since the trigger event, retrieving data from a nonvolatile cache memory, retrieving data from a disc memory when the data is not in the nonvolatile cache memory, and pinning the data retrieved from the disc memory to the nonvolatile cache memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Robert Dale Murphy, Robert William Dixon, John Frederic Wehman
  • Patent number: 8463984
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to systems and methods of dynamic dataflow in a multiple cache architecture. In an embodiment, a system having a data storage device with a multiple cache architecture may detect at least one attribute affecting a data storage workload or data storage performance. The system may select at least one of a plurality of data flow schemes based on the at least one attribute, which may be done to optimize the data storage workload for various conditions. In another embodiment, a data storage controller may automatically and dynamically select one of multiple data flow schemes within a data storage device having a multiple cache architecture. The data storage controller may monitor attributes to determine which data flow scheme to select for various workloads of the data storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Edwin Scott Olds, Timothy Richard Feldman, David Warren Wheelock, Steven Scott William, Robert William Dixon
  • Patent number: 8255774
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a data storage system with non-volatile memory for error correction. In one example, a data storage system is provided and includes a first data storage device comprising a first non-volatile data storage medium and a second data storage device that comprises a second non-volatile data storage medium. The system also includes a controller configured to store data to the first data storage device. The controller is configured to selectively generate error correction information for selected portions of the data based on at least one attribute associated with the data and store the error correction information in the second data storage device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Seagate Technology
    Inventor: Robert William Dixon
  • Publication number: 20110161555
    Abstract: The disclosure is related to systems and methods of dynamic dataflow in a multiple cache architecture. In an embodiment, a system having a data storage device with a multiple cache architecture may detect at least one attribute affecting a data storage workload or data storage performance. The system may select at least one of a plurality of data flow schemes based on the at least one attribute, which may be done to optimize the data storage workload for various conditions. In another embodiment, a data storage controller may automatically and dynamically select one of multiple data flow schemes within a data storage device having a multiple cache architecture. The data storage controller may monitor attributes to determine which data flow scheme to select for various workloads of the data storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2009
    Publication date: June 30, 2011
    Applicant: SEAGATE TECHNOLOGY LLC
    Inventors: Edwin Scott Olds, Timothy Richard Feldman, David Warren Wheelock, Steven Scott William, Robert William Dixon
  • Publication number: 20100211851
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a data storage system with non-volatile memory for error correction. In one example, a data storage system is provided and includes a first data storage device comprising a first non-volatile data storage medium and a second data storage device that comprises a second non-volatile data storage medium. The system also includes a controller configured to store data to the first data storage device. The controller is configured to selectively generate error correction information for selected portions of the data based on at least one attribute associated with the data and store the error correction information in the second data storage device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 17, 2009
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventor: Robert William Dixon
  • Patent number: 6993604
    Abstract: A method and disc drive are disclosed that employ dynamic buffer size allocation for handling multiple data streams, such as time-sensitive audio/video data. The method involves allocating a certain amount of required buffer space for each data stream to be handled without an interruption in recording or playing back the data stream. The method further involves reallocating the amount of required buffer space for each stream including any additional stream when one or more additional streams are to be added to the total number of streams being handled. The method also involves reallocating the amount of required buffer space for each stream including those streams that remain after any of the data streams being handled are terminated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2006
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventor: Robert William Dixon
  • Patent number: 6915363
    Abstract: A data storage device array includes a number of data storage devices. Each of the disc drives is operable to spin-up its spindle motor in response to the successful communication of predetermined out-of-band (OOB) signals. By selectively causing the communication of the predetermined OOB signals to the data storage devices, the selective spin-up of the data storage devices may be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Robert Barry Wood, Anthony Leigh Priborsky, Robert William Dixon
  • Patent number: 6883066
    Abstract: In a data storage device, a system of method of optimizing cache management. A method includes selecting a set of cache management algorithms associated with a predetermined pattern in a sequence of commands. Statistics based on a sequence of commands are gathered and a pattern is detected from the statistics. The pattern is associated with predetermined known patterns to identify a set of cache management algorithms that are optimized for the known pattern. A system includes usage statistics that are correlated among a set of known usage patterns. A switch chooses the set of cache management algorithms associated with the known pattern that most closely matches the usage statistics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: James Arthur Herbst, Carol Michiko Baum, Robert William Dixon
  • Publication number: 20030115413
    Abstract: A data storage device array includes a number of data storage devices. Each of the disc drives is operable to spin-up its spindle motor in response to the successful communication of predetermined out-of-band (OOB) signals. By selectively causing the communication of the predetermined OOB signals to the data storage devices, the selective spin-up of the data storage devices may be achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 10, 2002
    Publication date: June 19, 2003
    Applicant: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: Robert Barry Wood, Anthony Leigh Priborsky, Robert William Dixon
  • Publication number: 20030061444
    Abstract: In a data storage device, a system of method of optimizing cache management. A method includes selecting a set of cache management algorithms associated with a predetermined pattern in a sequence of commands. Statistics based on a sequence of commands are gathered and a pattern is detected from the statistics. The pattern is associated with predetermined known patterns to identify a set of cache management algorithms that are optimized for the known pattern. A system includes usage statistics that are correlated among a set of known usage patterns. A switch chooses the set of cache management algorithms associated with the known pattern that most closely matches the usage statistics.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2001
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Applicant: Seagate Technology LLC
    Inventors: James Arthur Herbst, Carol Michiko Baum, Robert William Dixon
  • Publication number: 20020087758
    Abstract: A method and disc drive are disclosed that employ dynamic buffer size allocation for handling multiple data streams, such as time-sensitive audio/video data. The method involves allocating a certain amount of required buffer space for each data stream to be handled without an interruption in recording or playing back the data stream. The method further involves reallocating the amount of required buffer space for each stream including any additional stream when one or more additional streams are to be added to the total number of streams being handled. The method also involves reallocating the amount of required buffer space for each stream including those streams that remain after any of the data streams being handled are terminated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Publication date: July 4, 2002
    Inventor: Robert William Dixon